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Updated: November 3, 11:15 a.m.
Per Mashable, everyone’s favorite headbashing, pepper-spray taking Uber passenger was actually a marketing executive for Taco Bell before getting fired for the incident.
“Given the behavior of the individual, it is clear he can no longer work for us. We have also offered and encouraged him to seek professional help,” the restaurant chain said in a statement.
Hey, Ben Golden, I hear KFC is hiring.
Originally Published: November 2, 8:59 a.m.
I’ve had my fair share of Uber adventures. My success rate for getting my pick-up address correct after midnight hovers around 35%, and I’ve Periscoped more ride-home conversations than I’d like to admit. But even though my rating is probably plummeting weekend after weekend, at least none of my drivers have pepper sprayed me.
This wasn’t the case this weekend in Newport Beach, California where Benjamin Golden, 32, was arrested after getting into an altercation with his driver after the driver attempted to kick him out for being too drunk to give proper directions.
The driver, Edward Caban, repeatedly told Golden, “I’m kicking you out,” after Golden was caught Weekend At Bernie‘ing on the dashcam as Caban was taking fairly routine turns. Right when you’d think Golden would drunkenly get out of the car and call up another Uber that’s more tolerant of hammered dudes in backwards hats, he goes rogue and decides to pull Caban’s hair before Caban pepper sprays the fuck out of Golden’s face.
The full dashcam video was posted on YouTube by the driver, which you can see in its entirety here. Things don’t really heat up until the 2-minute mark, but it’s worth watching the buildup to see this dude get tossed around by his own intoxication.
Not sure if this is just the Stifler in me coming out, so call me crazy, but I actually think it’s bullshit that Caban was trying to kick this dude out in the first place. Was he hammered? Yeah, but the dude was just trying to get home. Getting your passenger’s address and following directions is all in the job description for an Uber driver. Sure, he refused to give an address in the beginning of the video, but the driver should’ve kicked him out right than rather than getting him all horned up to finally get home before kicking him to the curb. Nothing grinds my gears more than when an Uber driver asks me where to turn. The two reasons I pay money for someone to drive me places are 1. So I can get unabashedly drunk without the worry of getting a DUI, and 2. So I can wash my hands of all responsibility when it comes to getting from Point A to Point B.
Had the driver told Golden, “I’m kicking you out because it looks like you’re about to boot all over my backseat,” I’d have a little more pity. But come on, Edward. Offer the dude a water or something. Maybe a fuckin’ Slim Jim or some Trail Mix rather than stoking the fire of some 32-year-old dude who probably gets off on verbal and physical altercations. Everyone knows better than to patronize an Orange County bro with Drunk Dude Strength. SMH. .
[via LA Times]
Image via YouTube
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Will
Will (Twitter / Instagram) is the host of The Sunday Scaries Podcast.
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“You got maced, motherfucker.” PGP.
To already be that hammered at 8pm is actually kind of impressive.
Make that 7 people that had a worse weekend than you.
The driver definitely gave him a 1 star rating after that ride.
That’s gonna cost him more than that Uber would have.
It cost him his job: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2015/11/03/uber-passenger-caught-on-camera-assaulting-driver-arrested-loses-job/
Regardless, you don’t batter the Uber/Lyft/cab driver just because they suck. In general, you don’t batter people when you disagree with them.
These uber drivers make money off taking drunk people home. News flash: drunk people are normally confused. Dude should have just drove him home.
Dude should have just given him the address